detwiler



No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. s. DETWILER. APPARATUS FOR BLENDING POWDERED MATERIALS.

Patented Aug. 28, 1894.

A TTOHNE Y.

m: NORRIS virus so. PHOTO-LITHCL, WASNINGYON. a. c.

(No Model.) 4 SheetsSheet 2 J. S. DETWILER.

APPARATUS FOR BLBNDINGPOWDERBD MATERIALS. No. 525,095. Patented Aug; 28, 1894.

f s .5 pa

WITNESSES: 1 j/ h lwu a 1 ATTORNEY.

m: "cams PEI'ERS co. PNOTO-LITNO..WASNINGTON n c (No Model.) A

J. s. DETWILER. APPARATUS FOR BLENDING POWDERED MATERIALS. 7

4 Sheets-Sheet 4:.

No. 525,095. Patented Aug. 28, 1.894.

Thy?) WITNESSES: /NVENTOH g BY W Mag h A I I ATTORNEY.

THE NORRIS rsrzns 00.. PHuro-uma. WASHINGTON, o z;

STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN S. DETWILER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM P. LOGAN, OF SAME PLACE.

APPARATUS FOR BLENDING POWDERED MATERIALS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 525,095, dated August 28, 1894.

Application filed December 13, 1893. Serial No. 493,540. (No model.) i

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN S. DETWILER, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Blending Powdered Materials, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has relation to apparatus for blending or thoroughly commingling powdered or com minu-ted materials such as different grades or kinds of flour by gaseous or aeriform flotation, agitation, and settling. It is well known that in pulverizing or reducing materials or substances to a comminuted state or condition that a certain amount of heat is generated and in the case of grain or the like, that such heat generated causes the sugar or glutinous constituents of the mass to become adhesive to such an extent as to ball or lump and in such manner as that in the passage of the grain or the like through reducing rolls or millstones for the constituents or particles to become by readhesion combined with or united to one another. Moreover, the heat generated by the milling operation in the case of grain or the like is calculated to produce fermentation, thus causing the product to be come sour by exposure and other influences. Again in the practiced methods of treating grain or the like, a large percentage of the moisture taken up by the grain is retained thereby and is calculated to produce fermentation, which results as a consequence in the flour or the like becoming sour and unfit for use.

The principal objects of my invention are first, to overcome entirely the above mentioned disadvantageous features in the treatment of grain or the like and to provide a simple, comparatively inexpensive, expediious and efficient method for efiecting the thorough blending or commingling of such comminuted or powdered material or the like by gaseous or aeriform flotation, agitation and settling; second, to provide an apparatus for thoroughly and expeditiously segregating the particles of the more or less comminuted or pulverized mass, by adhesion clinging to one another, by aeriform or gaseous flotation and mechanicalor other agitas tion to cause the intimate commingling, admixture or thorough blending of the same, freed from heat, moisture and noxious vapors and causing the settling thereof in a perfectly blended, finely divided and purified state or condition in bulk adapted for immediate or subsequent use and entirely free from tendency to fermentation or souring thereof; third, to provide suitable apparatus for producing a perfect blend 'or admixture of the materials oflike or unlike nature, character, specific gravity or kind; and fourth, to provide an apparatus adapted to effect during theoperation thereof the purification of the powdered or comminuted materials in such manner as that heat, moisture, gas or other noxious matter is liberated therefrom and with the resultant admixture or perfectly blended product delivered in a chemically pure state or condition for immediate or subsequent use, without manifestation of or tendency to fermentation or souring thereof.

My invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described and claimed. I

The nature and general features of my invention will be more fully understood from the following description taken in connection with the-accompanying drawings forming part hereof; and in which- Figure 1, represents a vertical longitudinalsection through one form of apparatus adapted for the conduct of the method of my invention, showing a cylindrical shell having a contracted top and outlet, with a series of inlets in the bottom thereof and a screw conveyer for introducing materials in the path of the issuing air, gas or other mixing and purifying agent and with revoluble fans and fingers within said shell for causing in the agitation of thematerials lifted into the presence thereof by means of the incoming air, gas or other agent segregation of adhering. infinitesimal particles of the mass and the blending of the divided particles of the same, preparatory to the discharge from the apparatus throughrthe outlet in the top thereof. Fig. 2, is a transverse sectional view on the line w-x, of Fig. 1. section on the line y-y, of Fig. 4, of a combined separating and settling chamber provided with a screw conveyor for discharging Fig. 3, is a longitudinal IOO the perfectly blended or commingled materials into a suitable receptacle or barrel for use. Fig. 4, is a side elevational view of the separating and settling chamber adapted for use in connection with an apparatus of the type illustrated in Fig. 1, by means of a pipe connection applied to the outlet of the apparatus; the said view illustrating the outlets arranged in the walls of said chamber and covered with wire gauze for permitting of the escape of air theret-hrough so that effective settling may be insured of the blended materials in the bottom of said chamber and removal thereof be permitted by means of a conveyer adapted to discharge the same through an outlet into a barrel or other suitable receptacle. Fig. 5, is a vertical longitudinal section through a still further modified form of apparatus for blending or commingling different materials and effecting the purification thereof preparatory to settling and the air separated therefrom in a chamber of the general type illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, and this view showing an air or gas admission pipein communication with an admission conduit with a rotatable conveyer for admitting materials therethrough, whereby through the intervention of the air, gas or other agent, such materials are presented to the revolving drum provided with stationary beaters or fingers for causing adhering particles to be segregated and the infinitesimal particles of the segregated mass perfectly blended together,preparatory to their discharge from the revolving drum through an outlet conduit connected with one of the journals of said drum and extending into the interior thereof. Fig. 6, is a top or plan view of the apparatus of Fig. 5. Fig. 7, is a transverse section on the line z-z, of Fig. 5. Fig. 8, is a vertical longitudinal section of a still further modified form of apparatus adapted for the conduct of myinvention, showing a conveyerin the bottom of the chamber, an air or gas admission pipe extending into the same, a shaft provided with revoluble fingers adapted to travel between and about stationary fingers secured to the wall of said chamber and an inlet conduit in the top of said chamber for admitting materials into the interior thereof in a reverse direction to the volume of air, gas or other mixing agent presented thereto, for segregating the particles of the conglomerate and adhering materials and causing the intimate or thorough blending together thereof by the combined action of the air, gas or other agent andth e mechanical agitation therein, and showing also means in said chamber for permitting of the liberation of the air, gas or other agent therefrom and settling of the perfectly blended or commingled materials in mass in the bottom of said chamber for permitting oftheir discharge by means of a conveyer into a suitable receptacle for use; and Fig. 9, is a transverse section on the line 10-20, of Fig. 8.

In the drawings, with special reference to Figs. 1 and 2, A is a cylindrical shell having a conical-shaped cap a, provided with a contracted outlet 0/.

a is a cylindrical base engaged by the shell A. In the base a are provided a series of inlet openings a and an enlarged outlet elbow a for the reception of a conduit a which is provided with a screw conveyer a, actuated by any suitable means, not shown. To each of the elbows a of the air or gas inlets a are secured short sections of pipe a as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The base a is provided with a cone-shaped central bearing post a, which is adapted to be packed with suitable material so as to prevent the settling materials of the chamber from accumulating in the body thereof. The base a is mounted upon a series of legs a.

b, is a vertical shaft extending through the cone-shaped bearing post a", and held at the top in a hearing or sleeve a provided with radial arms a, which are respectively secured to the interior Wall of the shell A. Between the sleeve or bearing a, and the shaft 1), is interposed an anti-friction bushing a, to avoid heating up of the shaft and to avoid the necessity of the application of oilor other lubricant thereto. Mounted on the vertical shaft 1), at suitable distances apart are radial fingers Z), and fans 11*. The lower end of this shaft is secured in astep bearing a, mounted on the base-plate 0. The shaft b, is provided with a pulley b, which is keyed or otherwise secured thereto and around which passes a belt 11 traveling over pulleys b, which are supported from a standard b secured to the base-plate a. Motion is communicated to the belt N, from any suitable source of power, not shown, for rotating the shaft b. Directly above the cone-shaped bearing post a", of the base (1 of the shell A, are disposed scrapers b projecting downwardly and mounted on and rotated by the vertical shaft 12. These scrapers are inclined at such an angle as that in the rapid rotation of the shaft 1), they will perform the function of lifting the materials carried into the base a of the shell A, by means of the screw conveyer a.

In use, the machine illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 operates, as follows: The materials to be segregated and blended enter through the opening a by means of the screw conveyer a, mounted therein, which uniformly feeds the materials to the base of the shell A, and by means of the current of air, gas or other agent in volume entering through the series of openings cf, the materials are lifted aided by the scrapers 12 into the presence of the respective revolving fingers and fans, thereby breaking up the particles of the conglomerate mass and thoroughly blending orintermingling the same together and which are supported during the operation by the ascending column or volume of air, gas or other agent and forced thereby through the contracted cap a, of the shell A, and the outlet a, into a separating and settling chamber D, such as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4., to be connected with the outlet a of the shell A, by a pipe connection with the inlet conduit d, thereof as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. The purpose of the separating and settling chamber D, is to receive the intermingled air and thoroughly blended materials free from further agitation and to afiord the blended materials, due to their specific gravity, an opportunity to settle in the bottom of the chamber and for any air, gas or other agent carried therewith to pass off through the series of outlets d, d and d arranged in the wall of .the chamber on opposite surfaces thereof. These outlets are covered with finely meshed wire gauze to prevent passage therethrough with the air or gas of any of the blended materials by suction or otherwise, so that in the falling of the materials in their perfectly blended state or condition into the bottom of the chamber, the mass in bulk is taken by a revoluble screw or endless conveyer d and conducted continuously to the outlet 01 in the bottom of the chamber D, and discharged therethrough into a suitable receptacle or barrel (1, for use. It may be here remarked that in the operation of the apparatus, the separating and settling chamber D, will always contain a sufficient supply of blended materials to completely cover or envelop the conveyer d, in the bottom thereof, so that the outlet d, at one end of the chamber will always be filled with the blended material, thereby preventing the escape of air through. said outlet. This opening as an additional security against the entrance of air through the same may be provided with a wire gauze or other covering extending along far enough to completely cover the outlet diand thus to form an air trap thereat.

With special reference now to Figs. 5 and 6, showing another form of apparatus for the conduct of my invention of segregating and blending different materials together, A is a revoluble drum provided with hollow end journals A and A and with internal beaters or projecting fingers A and A as illustrated in Fig. 5. These hollow end journals A and A are mounted in standards A and A7 extending vertically from a base-plate, not

revoluble drum A and curved upwardly at one extremity thereof and downwardly from the outer end of said journal A and adapted to be connected with the inlet d, of the separating and settling chamber D, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. On one end of the hollow journal A is mounted a gear-wheel-akeyedor otherwise secured thereto and meshing with apinion e, mounted on a longitudinal shaft (1 which is journaled to the standards A and A. This shaft 0. is provided on the opposite extremity thereof with loose and fast pulleys e and 6 for the reception of a belt, not shown, whereby inthe engagement of said belt. with the fast pulley on said shaft, motion is imparted to the shaft a, for actuating the pinion e, and gear-wheel e, for revolving the drum A, and thereby causing the materials introduced into the drum to be thoroughly commingled and the infinitesimal particles of said materials to be perfectly blended together, preparatory to their discharge through the curved outlet pipe a into the separating and settling chamber D, where any air or gas is removed therefrom, through the gauze covered outlets d, d and (Z and the materials thus perfectly blended together, settle in the bottom of the chamber D, and in bulk areremoved therefrom by means of the endless conveyer d, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, through the outlet 61 into a suitable receptacle or barrel 61 for use.

With special reference to Figs. 8 and 9, A represents a cylindrical shell'having a shaft b, extending downward through the removable top plate ca thereof. This shaft is provided with a fixed sleeve 5 having radial fingers Z7 extending therefrom and adapted totravel between-and about the fingers Z2 radially disposed and secured to the interior surface of the shell A. F, is an air or gas blowing engine connected with an inlet conduit of, extending upward into the interior of the shell A. The bottom or base a is sup ported on a series of legs 0. and has a large channel or conduit a with a screw conveyer a mounted therein for permitting of the discharge cf the commingled or perfectlyblended materials settling by gravity in the path thereof. In the flanged top a of the apparatus is provided a flanged rim or nipple a,

IIO

and through which the materials to be agitated and blended together are introduced in any suitable manner. In the upper part of the wall of the shell A, are provided a series of radial outlets 0. for permitting the ascendi'ng columns of air or gas to escape therethrough and at the same time so arranged as to prevent the escape of any of the particles of the materials undergoing agitation and blending together therewith. The shaft 1), is provided beyond the top platea of the shell A, with a pulley 12 which is engaged by a belt 5 passing around a pulley b, which is journaled to a standard 12 mounted on the top plate a, and which belt has motion im parted thereto from any suitable source of power, not shown. The lower end of the shaft b, is supported by a bracket or sleeve a providedwith radial arms e secured to the interior surface of the shell A.

In use, this apparatus of Figs. 8 and 9, is operated as follows :The materials to be segregated and by agitation, to be perfectly blended together, are introduced through the inlet a, in the top plate of the shell A, and allowed to descend into the presence of the heaters or fingers I3 and I), for effecting the thorough commingling or admixture thereof and supported during this operation by the ascending column or volume of air or gas contlnuously presented thereto during agitation and by reason of the greater specific gravity of the materials being blended together than the air or gas holding them for the time beng in suspension, such sinks in bulk by gravity therethrough, freeing the air or gas which escapes from the interior of the shell through the radially disposed outlets (1 in the wall thereof, and the blended together material in bulk falls by gravity to the bottom of the apparatus, where by means of the endless screw conveyer aflthe same is discharged continuously from the apparatus into any suitable storage receptacle or directly into barrels for shlpment or use. It may be'here remarked that the materials to undergo the blending operation are fed slowly through the inlet openlng in the chamber and fall in the path of the rapidly revolving beaters or fingers and fans and are thoroughly intermingled and blended together by the mechanical action of the same and the air, gas or other agent presented in a reverse direction to the point of admission of the materials into the apparatus, will cause the thorough turning, revolution or whirling around of the various infinitesimal particles of the mass and thus a thorough blending together thereof is insured. By permitting the materials to separate from the air or gas, being lighter than the blended 0r commingled particles of the mass, the air or gas will rise to the top of the chamber and pass off while the blended together materials in bulk will fall to the bottom of the chamber, and in coming in contact with a conveyer may be conducted 0E into a suitable receptacle for use. By such mode of operation as hereinbefore described practice has demonstrated that a perfect blend of the different materials will always 2. An apparatus for blending powdered materials, comprising a drum having at one portion thereof a force feed and a peripheral series of air inlets, and means for producing a current of air for segregating and blending together materials therein, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. An apparatus for blending powdered materials, comprising a drum having at one portion thereof a force feed and a peripheral se ries of air inlets, a central shaft carrying oblique fan blades for producing a current to the materials and air and beaters for disintegrating and blending together said materials, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. An apparatus for blending powdered ma terials, comprising a drum provided with a rotatable shaft having fingers and fans connected therewith, means for producing an upward air current in said drum, a conduit for the introduction of materials into said drum in the lower end thereof, a conveyor connected with the bottom of said drum, pipe connections, a separating and settling appliance provided with a rotatable conveyer in the bottom and with acontrolled outlet and with screened air and gas outlets in the walls thereof, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

J. WALTER DOUGLASS, THOMAS M. SMITH. 

